Central Nervous System Flashcards
What is the difference between the CNS and PNS?
CNS is composed of the brain and spinal cord; PNS consists of nerves that connect the CNS to peripheral structures
Describe Neurons
Functional units of the nervous system which generates electrical signals (action potentials)
Describe Glial cells
Non-neuronal cells that support neurons generate nerve impulses (they do not themselves)
Where are interneurons found?
Entirely in the CNS
What type of neuron accounts for >99% of total neurons?
Interneurons; the neurons that connect the afferent and efferent
What are the four types of glial cells in the CNS?
- Astrocytes
- Oligodendrocytes
- Ependymal cells
- Microglia
What participates in the formation of myelin sheaths for the axons in the CNS?
Oligodenodrocytes
What are the three types of glial cells in the PNS?
- Schwann cells
- Satellite cells
- Enteric glia
What participates in the formation of myelin sheaths for the axons in the PNS?
Schwann cells
Where is the frontal lobe found?
Where the forehead is
Where is the parietal lobe found?
Behind the frontal lobe, on the upper half of the brain
Where is the temporal lobe found?
Below the frontal and parietal lobes; the lower half of the brain
Where is the occipital lobe found?
Lower, back portion of the brain; behind the temporal and (also below) the parietal
Where is the cerebellum?
Below the temporal and occiptal lobes; in the base of the skull
Where is the medulla oblongata?
Long structure in front of the Cerebellum and below the Pons and Temporal Lobe
Where is the Pons?
Between the Temporal Lobe, Cerebellum, and the Medulla Oblongata
What is the coronal plane?
Splitting the brain into a back and front
What is the Horizontal plane?
Splitting the brain into a top and bottom
What is the sagittal plane?
Splitting the brain into a left and right
What is the difference between the anterior and posterior?
Anterior is the front, posterior is the back
What is the difference between rostral and caudal?
Rostral is towards the head (longitudinal axis of the forebrain), Caudal is towards the tail (longitudinal axis of the brainstem and spinal cord)
What is the difference between dorsal and ventral?
Dorsal is the top, ventral is the bottom
What structures are found in the sagittal section of the forebrain?
- Cerebrum
- Diencephalon
What structures are found in the sagittal section of the midbrain?
- Midbrain
What structures are found in the sagittal section of the hindbrain?
- Cerebellum
- Pons
- Medulla Oblongata
What is the difference between the forebrain, midbrain, and the hindbrain?
What structures are found within the diencephalon?
- Thalamus
- Pineal gland
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary gland
What is the function of the thalamus?
Integrating center and relay station for sensory and motor information
What is the function of the pineal gland?
Melatonin secretion
What are the functions of the hypothalamus?
- Homeostasis
- Behavioral drives
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
Hormone secretion
What are the structures within the brain stem?
- Thalamus
- Optic nerve
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla oblongata
- Reticular formation
Where is the thalamus found?
On top of the midbrain
What is the function of the midbrain?
Eye movement
What are the functions of the Pons?
- Relay station between cerebrum and cerebellum
- Coordination of breathing
What is the function of the medulla oblongata?
Control of involuntary functions
What are the functions of the reticular formation?
- Arousal
- Sleep
- Muscle tone
- Pain modulation
What is gray matter composed of?
Cell bodies (which gives the area a gray appearance)
Why is grey matter grey?
It lacks relatively few myelinated axons, whereas white matter has more myelinated axons
What is white matter composed of?
Tracts of myelinated axons
What are the structures (9) of the limbic system?
- Thalamus
- Pineal gland
- Hippocampus
- Cerebellum
- Amygdala
- Pituitary gland
- Hypothalamus
- Cerebrum
- Basal ganglia
What are the structures of the limbic system associated with?
- Learning/memory
- Emotion
- Visceral function (Appetite)
- Sex
- Endocrine function
What is the function of the cerebral cortex?
Participates in perception, generation of skilled movements, and cognitive functions (reasoning, learning, and memory)
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
Participate in the initiation of movement and coordination of skeletal muscle activity
What are the functiosn of the thalamus?
Acts as a synaptic relay station for sensory pathways on their way to the cerebral cortex; also participates in control of skeletal muscle coordination, and has a key function in awareness
What are the functions of the hypothalamus?
- HOMEOSTASIS
- Participate in temperature control, water balance, eating and drinking behavior, and emotional behavior, also regulates the reproductive system and circadian rhythms
What are the functions of the cerebellum?
Coordinates movements, such as eye movement and those for posture and balance. Participates in some forms of learning.
What are the functions of the brain stem (4)?
- Cardiovascular, respiratory, disgestive control
- Sleep/wake cycle, arousal
- Balance and posture
- Locomotor initiating centre
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
Locomotor pattern generator (producing rhythmic movements), spinal reflexes
What are the four protective elements associated with the CNS?
- Bone
- Meninges
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)
Which bones are protectice elements with the CNS?
- Skull for the brain
- Vertebrae for the spinal cord
What are the layers of the meninges?
- Dura Mater
- Arachnoid mater
- Pia mater
How does the CSF protect the CNS?
It cushions the structures (between the skull/meninges, and the brain)
How does the BBB protect the CNS?
Helps maintain a stable environment for the brain; it controls the types of substances that enter the brain extracellular fluid and the rates at which they enter
Define
CSF
Cerebrospinal fluid
Define
BBB
Blood-Brain Barrier
How many spinal nerves convey signals to and from the spinal cord?
31
What is the breakdown of the 31 spinal nerves?
- 8 cervical
- 12 thoracic
- 5 lumbar
- 5 sacral
- 1 coccygeal
In what order are the sections of the spine?
Cervical to thoracic to lumbar to sacrum to coccyx (tailbone)
Define
Dermatome
areas of skin on your body that rely on specific nerve connections on your spine
Define
Myotome
areas of muscles in your body that rely on specific nerve connections on your spine
What dermatomes are the cervical vertebraes responsible for?
Head, neck, shoulders, arm, hand
What dermatomes are the thoracic vertebraes responsible for?
Trunk
What dermatomes are the lumbar vertebraes responsible for?
Waist, front of legs, feet
What dermatomes are the sacral vertebraes and coccygeal responsible for?
Buttocks, genitals, anus, back of legs, feet
How are vertebraes named?
Letter for their second and number for descending order
ex. C5; the 5th vertebrae in the cervical section of the spine
What does the dorsal root do?
Send sensory information from the body to the brain
What does the ventral root do?
Send motor commands from the brain to the body
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
- Send info from the body to the brain (dorsal root)
- Send commands from brain to the body
- Coordinate reflexes (acting without signals from the brain)
- Contains central pattern generators that control rhytmic movements (walking, flying, swallowing etc.)
How do afferent neuron axons enter the spinal cord?
Enter on the dorsal side of the cord via the dorsal roots
Where are the cell bodies of the afferent neurons?
In the dorsal root ganglia
How do efferent neuron axons exit the spinal cord?
They leave through the spinal cord on the ventral side via the ventral roots